AfricAvenir presents Namibian Premiere of "Cairo Drive"

May 6, 2015, 9:23am

AfricAvenir presents Namibian Premiere of

"Cairo Drive"

“Cairo Drive” is a gripping documentary, directed by Sherief Elkatsha, Egypt, 2013, 79 min, that explores the life of one of the world’s most populated cities—from its streets. Shot in 2009-2012 (before and during the Egyptian revolution, and ending with the most recent presidential elections), the film explores the country’s collective identity, inherent struggles, and the sentiments that lead through the historic changes taking place in Egypt today.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiUty3nIhZo

When: Saturday, 30 May 2015

Time: 19h00

Where: Goethe-Centre Windhoek, Fidel Castro Str. 1-4, Windhoek

Entrance: 40,- N$

The screening of “Cairo Drive” is made possible through financial support of the FNB Foundation in Namibia.

Synopsis:

Cairo, Egypt. 20 million people. 23,600 miles of road. Two million cars. Taxis, buses, donkey carts, and swarms of people, all jockeying to move through the obstacle course that is their daily lives. Sitting at a cultural intersection, Cairo is a city unlike any other, where different faiths, races, and social classes all share a few clogged arteries of tarmac.

Cairo traffic is a chaotic experience where rules are constantly challenged: an elaborate dance of leading and following, flow and resistance, and impeccable, almost miraculous timing.“Cairo Drive” explores the life of one of the world’s most populated cities—from its streets. Shot in 2009-2012 (before and during the Egyptian revolution, and ending with the most recent presidential elections), the film explores the country’s collective identity, inherent struggles, and the sentiments that lead through the historic changes taking place in Egypt today.

Filmmaker Sherief Elkatsha rides through the congested streets alongside a diverse cast of characters—from taxi drivers to ambulances, from traffic cops to private citizens—capturing the unspoken codes of conduct, frustrations, humor, fatalism, and life-or-death decisions of driving in a city where the only rule is: there are no rules.

Cairo Drive won the award for Best Film from the Arab World - Documentary Competition at the 2013 Abu Dhabi Film Festival, and the Grand Jury Prize in the Viewfinders Competition at Doc NYC, the Documentary Film Festival in New York.

Press:

“Programmers should line up to slot [‘Cairo Drive’] into fests and showcases, since even strangers to Cairo’s mad whirl will find themselves laughing alongside their more conversant neighbors.” – Variety

“The film captures the hopeful euphoria that swept through Egypt after Mubarak's ouster, as well as the ensuing disappointment many people felt at the lack of real change.” – Reuters

“An enthralling, insightful and often rather funny look at the vibrant, complex and dramatic city of Cairo as seen through its teeming roads.” – Screen Daily

The director: Sherief Elkatsha

Filmmaker Sherief Elkatsha was born in the United States, raised in Cairo and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY.

His first feature-length documentary, Butts Out, about five smokers and their struggles to quit, received the Best Documentary Award at the 2006 New England Film and Video Festival. The film was also an official selection at The Rhode Island International Film Festival, Rendez-Vous with Madness Film Festival, and the Hollywood DV Festival.

In 2007, Elkatsha co–directed and shot Egypt: We are Watching Youwith Jehane Noujaim (director of Control Room). The documentary captures pre-revolution politics in Egypt as seen through the eyes of a grass roots, pro-democracy activist group, Shayfeen.com. The film was part of a series, “Why Democracy” and was broadcast on 42 networks around the world.

Elkatsha continued to document his native city as the director of photography for Cairo Garbage, directed by Mikala Krogh in 2009 as part of the “Cities on Speed” series. A collaboration between the Danish Film Institute and Danish Broadcasting Corporation, DR TV, the series has aired all over the world on various networks, including most recently on the Sundance Channel in April 2010.

In 2010, Elkatsha also shot and edited his first music video “Not To Write About Boys” for Supercute!, which premiered on Boing Boing.

Elkatsha is currently preparing to shoot his next film, a theme-driven exploration of female music composers in the Arab World.